Dotty FM
by Shortcake99
Summary: ...And welcome to Dotty FM, where you can find tunes new and old filled with Dotty goodness. Drabble series.
1. See You Again

Hi Guys! While, as the title suggests, this is going to be a Dotty filled song inspired fic, I jumped on the bandwagon and decided to make this the first song. This is what I would have loved Brian's departure to be and how it played out amongst the team.

Updates are going to be quite scarce as I have exams until mid-June and I don't have any more chapters in reserve but I'm going to try my best for you :)

* * *

 _It's been a long day without you my friend_

 _And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_

 _We've come a long way from where we began_

 _Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_

 _See You Again – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Pugh_

* * *

Brian padded into the kitchen and ran a hand over his head and through his hair. Heading over to the fridge, he yanked open the door, probably more violently than he should have, and took out a bottle of water, unscrewing the lid and guzzling down the chilled liquid. He cast a quick look up to the ceiling and released an internal sigh of relief as he realised his son had managed to sleep through his and Mia's argument. It hadn't been a loud argument filled with shouting and slamming doors. Instead, it had been conducted in harsh whispers, alongside snide remarks and a parting glare as Brian had turned and left the room.

Brian collapsed into a chair and rested his head in his hands, taking deep breaths as he kept revisiting the argument. He had tried to be understanding and see where Mia was coming from but he could not. In his eyes, she was being unreasonable, asking so much for so little in return. He had changed so much of his life already and they were finally back together as a family. He couldn't understand why she was trying to tear it apart. She wanted to uproot her family and move them almost six thousand miles across the sea. Why would she do that?

Upstairs, Mia was just as silent as Brian. Not after Brian had left, she had let herself fall onto her bed, tired of trying to stand for much longer. Tears gathered like moths around a light in her eyes and she let them fall; for a missed opportunity and her angry husband who was downstairs. Pulling a pillow from above her head, Mia curled around it, her bump not yet big enough to make an impression. She only wanted what was best for her family. She knew that it would be a big change and an even bigger adjustment but she believed it would be worth it in the end.

* * *

 _Mia stood at the doorway and crossed her arms as she raised her eyebrows. Jack was meant to be in bed yet there he was, sprawled across the floor as he zoomed a toy car along the edge of his play mat. From an outsider's view he looked adorable, his nose screwed up as he made quiet sound effects to match the car. Yet from the view of his mother, it was a different story._

" _Jack," Mia spoke in a warning tone._

 _Jack turned to look at his mother and he gave her a mischievous smile. "Yes, mummy?"_

" _When I left before where did I leave you?"_

" _In my bed."_

" _So where do you think you should be now?"_

" _On the floor?" Jack questioned innocently. He was now sitting up and running the car up and down his legs._

 _Mia bit the insides of her cheeks to stop herself from laughing. He looked exactly like his father, his face quizzical as he lost attention in his mother and turned back to his car. Yet his attitude was all her._

" _Nice try, mister, but I don't think so. Let's get you back in bed," Mia said as she bent down to put his car back in his toy box and lead Jack to bed._

" _No, my car," Jack said possessively, holding the toy to his chest and letting his bottom lip slip from his pursed look._

" _Jack, give mummy the car please."_

" _No."_

" _Jack..."_

" _No."_

" _Right, okay. You've got five seconds to give me the toy and get yourself into bed or you'll be in big trouble tomorrow."_

 _As Mia counted down, she could already see where the situation was leading. Jack, just like everyone else in his family, was stubborn; and he was not going to be intimidated into doing something he did not want to do. So instead he settled for giving Mia a quick look before getting back to his car and resuming his original position across the floor, oblivious to the frustration that was building up inside his mother._

" _Jack, you've now lost your trip to the park tomorrow and your toys for the rest of your week. Let's move it."_

 _As Mia disciplined Jack. Brian walked into the room and leaned against the doorframe. He pushed himself forward and moved his wife to the side before scooping his son up in his arms and laying him on his bed. Brian then held out his hand expectantly and waited until Jack dropped the toy car into it, moving to place it in the toy box before fastening the lid closed._

" _Next time, you listen to mummy. Now get to sleep," Brian told Jack, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead before ruffling his hair and pulling Mia out the door._

" _Thank you," Mia sighed as they entered their bedroom._

" _No problem," Brian replied, coming behind her and letting his thumb slowly stroking her lower stomach as she let her head drop onto his shoulder. "I can't believe you're giving me another baby."_

" _Well you better start to. How do you feel about having a vacation?"_

" _Vacation? You've only just got back."_

" _I know but that was just me and Jack, I want to go somewhere as a family; without the drama that normally comes with leaving the country."_

" _I like that. Where do you want to go?"_

" _I'd like to go back to Spain, we left some pretty good friends there and I would love Jack to meet them; show him some of his past."_

 _Brian nodded in approval and moved to kiss Mia's neck. She was right, with the recent drama with Deckard, it had been a long time since they had had time together as a family that did not revolve around cars or Jack's school. While Mia was more than happy to play housewife and be a mother to Jack, Brian felt that she deserved some time to appreciate herself, instead of just paying attention to those around her._

" _Maybe in the summer? When Jack finishes school and you're feeling a bit less nauseous?"_

" _I'll have a look tomorrow at some flights. How amazing would it be to live in Spain permanently?"_

" _You're kidding right?"_

" _No, let's just say hypothetically."_

" _I think it'd be awful. All the gang are here, Dom, Letty, Rome and Tej. We've spent so long apart in recent years and with us just getting Letty back and getting the house rebuilt, why would we move to Spain. What's there for us apart from a couple of friends? It's even like they outweigh the ones we have here either."_

" _You wouldn't want to live in Spain then?" Mia asked for confirmation, her voice taking on a disappointed tone._

" _No, I think it would be horrible, I think that..." Brian trailed off, silence filling the room as he felt Mia freeze in his arm. "Babe, what's wrong?"_

" _Nothing's wrong," Mia tried to play, leaning her head back to kiss Brian on the cheek._

" _Don't lie to me, I know you too well."_

" _Okay. When we was in Spain, I was talking to one of the women and she mentioned a hospital being built. We started chatting about me doing my degree and how I had worked at the hospital here for a few years and she said that she would love to have me work at the hospital if all my details worked out. I told her to ring me when the hospital was near completion and she rang me earlier."_

" _A hospital? In Spain? What's wrong with the hospital here?"_

" _Nothing's wrong with it but I would love to do it. You know how I feel about it. I've loved it forever."_

" _But you want to move to Spain," Brian asserted. "You want to uproot our entire family for a job that you could damn well have here. I will not let you do that."_

" _This is one thing that I want, one thing. And you won't even let me have that," Mia whispered harshly, still aware of her sleeping child a few doors down._

" _I have done everything for you. I gave up my place in the LAPD because I love you and I wanted to help you by helping Dom. I gave up my place in the FBI to get Dom out of prison because you wanted to. I gave up my whole lifestyle so you could have your happily family. Fuck, I even drove a minivan," Brian panted, his low whispers taking more breath from his lungs than he had expected. "I would do that over and over again for you – and for our family – but do not, do not, make it seem like you're the only one that made sacrifices."_

" _I want this, Brian. I don't think anyone will ever be able to comprehend how much this means to me. I love our family and I love you but I love nursing as well. The satisfying feeling of keeping someone alive and making their life better."_

" _I'm not doing this," Brian told Mia before turning and walking out of the room._

* * *

Mia trekked down the stairs the next morning and sighed softly at the sight of Brian face down on the kitchen table. His mouth was open slightly, light snores filling the room and Mia could not help by smile at her husband. He looked adorable, small tufts of hair sticking up and she instinctively reached out to smooth them.

"Mi?" Brian questioned, her actions awakening him from his slumber.

"Yeah, it's just me. I'm so sorry about last night."

Brian ignored her apology and let his head drop back into the crook of his arm and shut his eyes. He did not want to argue anymore.

"I know you don't want to go, I understand that. So if you don't want to go, we won't go."

"Really?" Brian asked, Mia's words eliciting an interest in what she was saying.

"Until you said it last night, I never really understood how much you had done for me and my idea of family," Mia said as she slid into the chair opposite him. She reached forward and clasped his hand in her own. "It's not fair to take you away from that. I'll ring Diana tonight and let her know."

"Thank you." Brian leaned over and brought her into a kiss, massaging her lips with his own.

* * *

Weeks passed and there was no mention of the topic. While all the team living together reminded them of old times and carried the constant reminder of what they had done together, their growing family was struggling to fit inside one house. After many small complaints from various members of the household, Roman and Tej had decided to move out and find a bachelor pad of their own. After finding a penthouse suite a short drive away, the team had dedicated a few days to moving out the mountain of stuff they had built up in a few short years.

"What even is this crap?" Letty questioned, carrying a box in her arms.

"You be careful with that, that's priceless," Roman interjected.

"To what? A badger?" Dom laughed, Jack joining in from the sidelines as Mia held him in her arms and watched the boys and Letty load the moving truck.

"Ha ha," Roman said flatly. "You're so funny."

"I know," Dom agreed.

The team finished packing up Roman and Tej's stuff and collapsed at the dining room table where Mia served them a beef casserole. They exchanged a light chatter while in between discussing how they were going to arrange various items and where they were going to put the leftovers. Once they had finished, they cleared away their plates and retired for the night. In their bedroom, Brian and Mia got ready for bed before climbing in and wrapping themselves in each other's arms.

"I found the letter from the hospital still offering the job earlier," Brian admitted. "I didn't want to tell you I'd found it but I didn't want to keep it from you."

"Is that a subtle dig?" Mia accused, turning in Brian's arms to face him.

"No. Not at all. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to start everything all over again. It was nice to know how they are getting on but I have no interest in going; don't worry."

"I think we should go," Brian blurted out.

"You think we should go to Spain?"

"I think we should give it a go. I was thinking about what was said that night and I realised how much you gave up to. The chance of a normal life, a normal family, a life with no danger. You gave that up so I think the best I can do is give it a go."

"I don't want you to say this out of guilt. I want you to need this as much as I do."

"I do."

They waited for a week before gathering the team after a Sunday barbeque. Mia perched herself in Brian's lap at the head of the table while the others sat around them, Dom and Letty also sharing a chair. Mia took a deep breath before leaning forward and resting her elbows on the table.

"Okay, so I don't want you to hate us but..."

"But what, Mi?"

"We're moving to Spain."

"I'm sorry what?" Dom questioned, tightening his arm around Letty's waist as he leaned forward in disbelief. "You're moving to Spain?"

"Yeah."

"I hate to break it to you but April Fools was a while back."

"She's serious, Dom," Brian said, sparing a regretful look for him. "There's a job at a hospital there, a really good one. We've spoken about it numerous times and to be honest I was against it to start with but I'm not now. We have a chance at a normal life. I want to try."

"What's wrong with our life?" Dom asked defensively. Wrapping a hand round his wrist, Letty took feel his pulse quickening.

"It's not like I don't love this life but it's what I've always wanted. You paid for my medical school, encouraged me every step of the way and now I have a chance to put it to good use. Please don't be mad," Mia begged.

"I just need a moment."

Dom lifted Letty off his lap and placed her back in the seat before leaving the kitchen and heading outside, grabbing a few Coronas on the way. Letty smiled gently at Mia before telling her to give him a minute and she would go out to him. Mia fell back into Brian's chest and he rubbed her arm. It was Dom's reaction that they had been scared about. He loved his family and Jack and they knew taking it away from him would hurt. But it was their family primarily, and they needed to do what was in their best interests. Besides, they could visit and they would return often.

"How far into your plans are you?" Letty asked.

"I've called them and told them that I'm pregnant and they said that's fine. To start with it'll be getting used to the hospital and I'll have the opportunity to do a few months work before maternity leave. They said they like me because English is my first language and it'll be easier on any English speaking if I translate. I'm really sorry, Letty."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. You're Dom's little sister, of course he's going to be upset but he'll get over it. He wants the best for you, he always has."

"I know but I can't help thinking I betrayed him."

"Trust me, you haven't. I'll speak to him. He'll understand," Letty said, standing from her seat and heading outside to talk to Dom.

"Hi," Dom whispered as he saw her walking over.

"Hey. How you doing?"

"As expected."

Dom pulled Letty into his lap and buried his face in her neck. Letty turned until she straddled him and caressed the back of his neck. He tightened his grip around her, almost as if he was afraid that if he let her go, she would follow Mia and Brian to Spain. Letty whispered comforting words in his ear as they sat there is silence, embracing each other and their presence.

"You've got to let her fly," Letty told him softly.

"I know, I just don't want to."

"You never did do well with separation."

"I can't keep an eye on her when she's on the other side of the world."

"You don't need to, she has Brian for that now. You need to let her go."

"She'll go, you know that. I've never been able to stop her doing anything. Every time she wanted to go somewhere and I said no you would team up against me. She's got her own mind and she's good at using it. Doesn't mean I have to agree with it though."

"She's worried about you. You should go and see her."

"Later, I just want to spend time with you. My favourite girl."

"When Mia's gone we should go on vacation. Just the two of us. We can get a villa by the beach, no one else to disturb us..." Letty trailed off suggestively. Pulling back to look at Dom, she saw a familiar twinkle in his eyes and kissed him passionately. "Go speak to your sister."

* * *

Mia played with Jack on the beach as the team sat around them. They had finalised their plans for Spain and were just waiting to fly out. A house had been viewed online and Brian had flown out with Dom to agree on a price while taking the opportunity to visit the venue of the Spanish Grand Prix. While Dom and Brian were gone, Mia and Letty had worked on getting the house ready from the States. At this present moment, Brian was sat next to Letty and were involved in light conversation.

"You know I'm still sorry," he started.

"For what?"

"Everything that happened."

"You don't need to be sorry. I've got my memory back, me and Dom are fine and everything is how it should be. As a family."

"You don't want us to leave, do you?" Brian questioned. He could tell by her body language that she did not want them to go. He was a cop after all. He could understand her though, she had just gotten fully back. Her memory, her family. And now it was going again.

"Of course I don't, nobody wants you to leave. But this is all Mia has ever dreamed of and it's time for her to live that. I won't take that opportunity away from her. Just look after her, yeah?"

"I always do. We'll send photos and call every day."

"I hope so."

"We'd never forget about you, you know that."

Brian pulled Letty in for a hug and she returned it fully. They sat in silence before Dom's call gained Letty's attention and she moved to go over to him. Brian tugged on an end of her hair and she turned sharply to glare at him.

"Dom did that once when we were younger. He got a black eye, you'll end up with one if you're not careful."

"Alright," Brian laughed. "I figured I'd do goodbyes now. Mia will do them when we leave properly. Take care, Letty."

"You too, Brian. You too."

As Letty left, Roman and Tej filled her space. With Brian, they conversed about anything and everything; from years ago to the latest sports game and all the bits in between. They said their goodbyes and Brian went off to play with Mia and Jack. The team sat on the rocks and watched as Brian picked Jack up and threw him in the air, Roman jabbering on in the background.

"Close your mouth for two seconds," Tej said, stopping Roman's analogy of steaks. "Just open your eyes, man."

"Beautiful," Roman observed, watching father and son bond on the soft sands of California.

"That's where he belongs," Letty added.

"Home," Dom summarised. "Where he's always belonged."

"Things are gonna be different now," Roman said, his face taking on a rare, upsetting expression as the realisation that one of his best mates was moving away settled in. As they fell into silence, Dom stood up and turned away, moving to head up towards his car.

"You aren't going to say goodbye?"

"It's never goodbye."

Dom turned and walked away, sliding into his car before pushing on the pedal and riding away from the beach. He reached the road, letting himself be lost in the sunset and the scenery. He realised at this moment that it was not just a sister that he was losing, it was a brother as well. As Dom pulled up at a cross roads, he could see Brian's car pulling up behind him.

"Hey, thought you could leave without saying goodbye?" Brian asked, his signature smile coming across his face.

They both looked ahead, they automatically knew that this would be a race. As they came to a part in the roads they were aware that they would be going in different directions; Dom back home, to Letty, his livelihood and Brian to his new life, along with Mia and Jack, in Spain. But for now Brian had his own path, his own destination and Dom wished him the best of luck.

* * *

"It doesn't matter where you are, whether you're a mile away or half way across the world. You'll always be with me. And you'll always be my brother."

* * *

Reviews are always an encouragement for some more writing :), thanks for reading!

And a very happy birthday to Livvy, I hope you have an amazing day. Also, thank you for betaing for me.


	2. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

...And we're back with the Dotty. I'm glad you enjoyed the last one so much!

Thanks to Serene Calamity for betaing for me and I hope you all enjoy it. :)

* * *

 _I ain't got time for you, baby_

 _Either you're mine or you're not_

 _Make up your mind sweet baby,_

 _Right here, right now's all we got_

 _A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got) – Fergie feat. Q-Tip and GoonRock_

* * *

Letty slammed her locker door shut and walked down the corridor. It was a typical school day, a waste of her time when she could have been spending the hours working on her new car or relaxing at home. She gave a glare of girls who were huddled outside a classroom and spared no prisoners as she shoved past them, almost sending one of them out of the window. They scoffed at her and she flipped them off. They were the 'cheerleader squad' as Letty had dubbed them and they lived up to their name, squealing and giggling as they threw their arms in the air.

"Dumb bitches," Letty muttered, turning around the corner to see Dom leaning against a locker with another girl running a finger sensually down his face. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Hey, Letty, baby," Dom said, pulling himself away from the locker and kissing her. "You ready to go to lunch?"

"Stop the game, Dom. Let's go."

Dom left the girl standing there and followed Letty, always one step behind as the crowds prevented him from walking by her side. He reached down and grabbed her hand, only for her to yank it away and cross her arms so he could not try again. They walked in silence to the canteen and Letty quickly sat down, giving Dom no choice but to sit at the other end of the table where there were chairs. Vince looked sheepishly between the two and turned back to his lunch. It did not take a genius to work out that shit was about to go down.

"Hey, Dom," Hector said, engaging in a bro hug before taking a seat. "Got word of the races, ten pm tonight at the usual spot. You down?"

"Count me in," Dom confirmed, nodding as Vince also established his presence that evening.

"How about you, mami? You totally wiped them out last time."

"Maybe. I might, I might not."

"Always keeping us on our toes, eh? It'll be good to see you do your stuff."

"I'll think about it. I need to have a look over my girl and see if she's got it in her first."

"Alright. I'll catch you later, Gonzalez got me and if she catches me now I'll be in shit."

Hector left the table and the atmosphere changed to a frosty one. Mia was at a student council meeting and it was just the three of them. Vince stood and muttered something about getting another burger, leaving Dom and Letty to talk it out. There was no way he was going to be in the middle of that one. He had been there before and it was not an experience he wanted to repeat.

* * *

 _Dom stormed into the kitchen and threw himself down into a chair. Tony, Vince and Mia looked up in surprise and tried to hide smiles as Letty followed him, looking equally pissed. They had been on a date night during the second week of their relationship. Dom had arranged to take Letty down to the visiting fair after Mia had confirmed it was one of Letty's great loves. Clearly it had not gone as well as expected._

" _You can't be serious right now, Dominic."_

" _Well I am, Leticia." At Letty's disgusted look at the use of her full name, Dom continued, "that's right; I can do the full name thing too."_

" _You are ridiculous," Letty reiterated._

" _No I'm not."_

" _You are."_

" _Are not."_

" _Are to."_

" _Are not."_

" _Okay, if we can mature a little bit from the grade three talk maybe we can sort this out. You're obviously not going to be able to do this in the same room so Mia if you'll take Letty into the living room and talk to her, Vince and I will talk to Dom," Tony intervened._

 _Dom huffed and Mia led Letty into the living room. While apart, they calmed down and both Tony and Mia managed to get a comprehendible story. Back in the kitchen, Mia offered to start._

" _From what I gather, Dom and Letty ran into a boy from Letty's grade and they exchanged some words."_

" _I think that's putting it a bit lightly, don't you think, Mi?" Letty huffed, annoyed at the way she had played down the situation. "All Adrian was doing was saying hi. It was an innocent talk and Dom went all ape shit."_

" _Of cours you would think it was innocent, he was running his fingers through your hair," Dom shouted from the end of the table._

" _Yeah, he was. Not me. I had nothing to do with it and I stepped away as soon as he did it. Do not make me out to be the bad guy because I am anything but."_

" _It didn't look like that to me. It looked like you were damn well enjoying it. Maybe I should take you back so you can find him again?"_

" _Don't be stupid. You know I don't want that. You're blowing this whole thing out of proportion."_

" _Am I?" Dom said, standing from the table. Letty matched his stance and stood at her end, putting Mia, Tony and Vince in the middle of them._

" _Yes. You need to pull yourself together. I am not invisible, I actually have guy friends and you need to realise that sooner rather than later."_

 _At this point Tony stopped them, realising that they were going round in circles. He told Mia to take upstairs and he dragged Dom outside to the garage to work on the Charger. He knew exactly what was going on in Dom's head – he had gone through the same thing with his mother. Together they worked in silence, letting the car do the talking as father and son worked out her kinks and tinkered with her in the journey to making her purr._

" _She's right you know."_

" _I know," Dom agreed. "But when have you ever known me to back down from something?"_

 _Dom and Letty had reconciled later, talking out their differences. Although it was more like them exchanging light chatter before Dom apologised. It gave them a taste of what was to come, their possessiveness over each other and the lengths they would go to to make sure that everyone knew they belonged to each other and no one else. It also gave everyone else a view of what would come if it ever occurred again. Again, it was more of a case of 'when' rather than 'if'._

* * *

"What's bit your ass?" Dom asked casually, as if he didn't already know, taking a moment to glance at Letty and turning away just in time to miss her piercing glare.

"What's bit my ass? I know what's bit yours," she replied. Dom sighed, he knew now that he would need to confront the situation head on.

"Letty, you need to stop getting like this."

"I do? I'm sorry but if my boyfriend wasn't a complete man whore then maybe I wouldn't be like it in the first place."

"I thought we'd been over this when we first started dating, when we went to the fair."

"Oh, so now you're bringing that up. Brilliant."

Letty huffed and turned away from Dom, sliding her lunch around so she could eat in peace. Dom stood from his seat, throwing his wrappers away and moved to sit in front of her. She glared at him and tried to turn back away, only for Dom to clamp his arms around her to stop her.

"Stop moving when I'm trying to talk to you," he commanded in his low voice. His words vibrated through her chest and she inwardly smiled at the affection with which he spoke. He was gentle when he spoke, not harsh or fierce.

"If you want someone to talk to you can talk to the slut squad," Letty suggested spitefully, ignoring Dom's unimpressed look.

"I don't want to talk to them, I want to talk to you."

"But I don't want to talk to you."

"Lett, why are you making this so difficult?" Dom asked before noticing the small collection of glances they were getting from the surrounding crowd. When Dom and Letty had started dating, it had been unexpected. Dom was one of the school's biggest playboys and Letty was supposedly just the 'sister's best friend' and occasional friend of the boys. "Come with me? We're grabbing attention."

Letty stood from her seat and shrugged Dom's arms off her. She turned on her heel and led Dom into an empty classroom, turning on the light and shutting the door behind him.

"Go on then," Letty started," Grovel."

"No. I am completely innocent in this and I'm not going to apologise for something I haven't done."

"Boy, you are playing a dangerous game."

"I ain't no boy, Lett. But I can't control what they do. I can't slap her hand away, you what that'll look like; how dad will take it."

"Doesn't mean you can't walk away, take a step back for a change."

"This needs to stop," Dom asserted again. He walked towards the door. "And when you've thought about it, maybe we can speak."

"You're either theirs or you're mine. There is no in between. Make up your mind."

"Like I said, when you've thought about it we'll speak."

Letty watched as he walked out and she sighed with a slight anger. She hated the way he spoke to her as a child that was being disciplined. It made her feel small, and weak, but she knew deep down that she was blowing everything slightly out of proportion.

He had done nothing wrong, technically anyway. He was right when he said that he did nothing apart from not move out of the way and the hallway was busy in the run up to lunch. But she didn't want to make excuses for him.

* * *

Letty had spent the rest of lunch in the classroom and with their timetable not permitting it; she did not see Dom for the rest of the day. As per usual, she drove herself out of school but headed towards the store. Mia had taken up running club twice a week and Letty had been elected to take over her duties after school. She didn't mind it too much though, it gave her time to do her homework and catch up on some extra studying and she was especially pleased to have it now, she didn't know if she could cope with being in a room with Dom after that afternoon.

Letty went home for dinner and reappeared at the Toretto house afterwards. She said hello to Mia and Tony before heading up to Dom's room. She prepared herself with a deep breath, rapping on the door and heading inside.

"Hey," she whispered quietly.

Dom sat up properly and opened his arms, welcoming her into his embrace as she cuddled up against his chest. He kissed the top of her head and she snuggled deeper, breathing his is powerful scent.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Dom offered. He had realised once he got to the garage the way Letty had taken the situation and accepted that he owed her an apology.

"It's fine. I'm sorry too, maybe I did overreact a little."

"Maybe, just a little," he said, holding apart his fingers an inch apart in demonstration.

"But I was being serious. I'm fed up of everyone walking around and thinking we're not together anymore. I don't like it and I don't feel comfortable with it. You're either with me or you're not."

"I'm with you all the way. I know that it looked bad and I'm going to try my best to tone it down."

"That's all I ask. Thank you."

Dom lifted Letty's head and kissed her softly, running his hands down her arms and round the curve of her ass, pulling her closer into him. He ran his fingers through her hair and tilted her head further into his mouth, enjoying the moment they were in.

"You're so beautiful," he complimented.

"So are you."

"I'm not beautiful, that's too feminine."

"Maybe I'll call you my BB, beautiful boyfriend."

"No, not that. You're ruining the moment."

"Me?" Letty asked against Dom's lips. "I'd never ruin a moment like this."

"Shh."

"You shh."

"Don't start."

"Alright my BB."

* * *

I must admit, I do love a good review ;)...

Thanks for reading!


	3. He Won't Go

You can't beat classic Adele and I love this song!

Thank you to Serence Clamity for betaing for me and thank you for all your lovely reviews, don't forget to keep them coming. Enjoy :)

* * *

 _Some say I'll be better without you_

 _But they don't know you like I do_

 _Or at least the sides I thought I knew_

 _I can't beg this time_

 _It drags on as I lose my mind_

 _Reminded by the things I find_

 _Like notes and clothes you left behind_

 _He Won't Go – Adele_

* * *

It had started with small insults, little pockets of abuse every now and then. To begin with, it meant nothing to her, just useless bits of jabber as he drowned in a pit of self-pity and drunkenness. But as it went on, each word began to tear into her skin. Not a lot, not like a scar or a burn, more like a microscopic tear, or even an ache after exercise. However, they built up, chipping their way into her self-esteem and resorting to her walking around as a girl with two faces; one for her friends, upbeat, sarcastic and fierce tongued as she had always been, and one for Dom, when the lights were dimmed and she was able to curl up in his arms, wrapped up within his shield.

"I don't understand why you let him do this to you. You know you're welcome here, everyone loves you here," Dom tried to persuade her before adding, "Not like at home with him."

Dom spat his words out with disgust and Letty run a finger along his arm in a soothing matter. They went through this at least once a week, Letty finding solace in her boyfriend's arm and him resisting the urge to go around to her house and punch the living daylights out of her dad. In fact, it wasn't just Dom. Tony was beginning to see the effect Ricardo Ortiz was having on his daughter. Yet neither did anything, out of respect for Letty.

"I'm his daughter, I owe it to him to stand by his side," she bargained with Dom, turning in his lap so she was straddling him and she looked into his eyes. "You would feel exactly the same way."

"I know I would, that's why I haven't said a single word to him. But it's hard to see you suffer this way. I hate seeing you hurt."

"I get why you're so angry at him, angry at me..."

"No! I am _never_ angry at you. Sometimes confused, sometimes annoyed that you don't see him for what the rest of us do but I am never angry," Dom finished, his voice taking on a softer tone as his deep voice would let him as he ended his sentence.

"I wish it was as simple as you make out. That one day I could pack my bags, close the door and come here forever, never having to look at his face again but I can't. At times he pushes me to my edge, but I could never leave him."

Dom said nothing more, only pulling her tighter into his arms and manoeuvring her so that her head was tucked into his shoulder and his fingers were weaving their way through her hair. Throughout the course of the night, they shifted, moving places, from the chair, to the floor, to the shower, to the bed. Yet at all times, they were in each other's arms, an act of protection, comfort, love. But most of all it was Dom's way of keeping her safe, encased within his grasp where nothing could hurt her.

* * *

Letty walked home from school, her bag trailing on the ground as she actively showed her displeasure at the situation. For the last seven months she had been driving herself, Mia in the passenger seat as the younger girl waited to reach sixteen to gain her license. It was the place they did the most talking, the only time they could talk about all things girly without having the piss taken out of them by the boys. It also gave Mia the chance to talk about boys, Letty's opinion being vital as in most respects it counted for Dom's too. If Mia could get Letty on board, Letty could in turn convince Dom to go along with it too. It was the way it worked.

But now, Letty's car was in the garage, a fault with the engine needing more attention than she originally thought and she wasn't going to risk driving it to school in case it got worse. She wasn't going to put her baby through that. So she was stuck walking home. Dom had given both girls a lift in the morning but now the garage was packed and they couldn't afford to take off the forty minute there and back ride it would take to collect Letty. So she had grabbed an early bus home in the hope that she could help. Only the bus driver decided to drop her three blocks before her house, telling her that it was the last stop.

"Piece of shit," she muttered to herself as she remembered the bus driver's words. She knew for a fact that there was a bus stop a few minutes' walk from her house.

Taking a few steps down the road to the garage, Letty changed her mind and turned back. Remembering that Mia had taken all their overalls home to wash and delivered Letty's to her house afterwards, Letty headed towards her place, mentally deciding to drop off her school bag and pick up a few other bits while she was there.

Before she even touched the door she could smell the alcohol seeping through the letterbox. Letty tried to kid herself into thinking she could psychologically smell it, that it wasn't real and she was expecting the worst when really she should be expecting the best. But then reality came crashing down. She had realised he wasn't going to change a long time ago but it didn't stop her trying. Letty wasn't one to give up on someone, especially when they were family.

"Dad?" She called out, peering her head round the door.

"I was wondering when you would come back," he sneered, appearing in the kitchen doorway, customary bottle in hand.

"I'll always come back, you know that."

"Do I? You're always off with Toretto, not caring about me.

"Daddy please," Letty pleaded. She knew it was the alcohol talking. This wasn't him. He was a kind, gentle man. A provider, the stable structure of her family.

"No. I've had enough of you. When are you going to realise you don't belong here anymore? No one loves you. You're like a slut who won't go home after a one night stand. It's a wonder that Toretto boy even keeps you around. I bet he doesn't even love you."

"Don't you dare," Letty all but screamed at her father. He chuckled at her, taking a swig from his bottle as he crawled his way under his daughter's skin. "You know nothing."

"I know enough. You are useless.."

"Don't say that to me."

Ricardo laughed before turning his back and stepping into the kitchen. Out of instinct, Letty followed him, determined not to let him win. But as she got to the doorway, she turned back. There was no point listening, every word he would say would just pierce her like a knife. It wasn't worth it. So Letty quickly headed upstairs, grabbed her overalls and a travel bag, throwing in a few day's clothes and running out the door again.

* * *

Letty arrived at the garage out of breath, having picked up the pace gradually until she was running, the anger seeping out the bottoms of her feet and onto the pavement. She was fed up with how he was treating her, she knew that she deserved better and she kept telling herself to pay no attention to his words but there was only so many times you could block out the sort of abuse he sent her way.

"Letty, you alright?" Tony asked as she walked in. He had learnt a long time ago that she was one of the best at hiding her emotions.

"I'm good. We still busy?"

"Yeah. Chuck on your overalls then I've got a few cars that just need a pair of little hands before they can be finished."

Following Tony's orders, Letty worked in silence for the next hour. However, while she was physically mute, mentally she was a different story. Letty couldn't stop replaying the conversation between herself and Ricardo.

Dom looked over at Letty, her head deep in a car, hands investigating within the engine. Her shoulders were tense and he could see her lips moving quickly, yet no sound was coming out. Finishing the last bit on his current car, he pushed his tools onto a nearby worktop and made his way over to Letty. She was staring down at the car in confusion, her nose scrunched up in that cute, adorable way that Dom loved. He edged closer towards her and put his hand on the small of her back, his other coming to soothe her head as she banged it on the car hood in surprise.

"Haven't you got work to do?" Letty asked irritably. She didn't have the time, or patience, to stop to have a nicey nicey chat.

"It can wait until later, all we're doing now is getting ahead so we don't get caught up tomorrow." He moved to press further into her, his hand dropping to her neck to sweep away the whispers of hair that were residing there. "And I've got time for you whenever, baby. Remember that."

"Well I don't have any time for you. So if you don't mind, back off and let me do what I'm paid to do."

Dom backed up slightly and turned Letty so she was looking directly at him. "I just wanna help you. Let me in, don't shut me out."

"Just some stuff with my dad."

"What kind of stuff?" Dom asked, his protective nature showing evidently.

"Same shit different toilet sort of stuff. It's fine, I've got it handled."

"We'll talk when we get home?"

Letty nodded curtly and turned back to her work, letting Dom know that their conversation was over. Throughout the rest of the afternoon and early evening they worked, Tony giving Letty the last hour to work on her car so it would be in working order for school the next morning. She got the final repairs done and her baby was finally ready to be driven again. They packed up and headed back to the house, the flurry of cars turning the empty driveway into one that could easily been envisioned at a car auction.

"Hey, how you doing?" Dom asked, hours later as Letty poked her head round his door. She had been with Mia for the night, a catch up they had called it for not being able to talk on the way to and back from school.

"I'm good, tired I guess." Letty made her way further into the room and climbed onto the bed, immediately burrowing into Dom's arms, the warm sensation a satisfying comfort.

"What did he say to you this afternoon? I've never seen you like this before."

"Just that I was useless, that I didn't belong at home."

"And?" Dom could tell that Letty was holding something back.

"That you don't love me," Letty whispered, almost as if she was afraid that if she said it aloud then it would become true.

"I will always love you, nothing can ever change that. Believe me?"

"Of course, it's just hard to hear it."

* * *

Two months later and Ricardo had been admitted into rehab. After being involved in a minor car accident, he was offered the opportunity to go and overcome his alcohol addiction in a centre nearby. To begin with he had resisted, he didn't want help; he was convinced that everything he did was perfectly normal. But after talking to Letty, Tony and the police, he had gone. It was a weight off Letty's shoulders, she didn't need to worry about looking out for him as well as herself.

After Ricardo was admitted, Dom had accompanied Letty to go through the house, the opening not presenting itself before due to Ricardo's unpredictable temper and the recurring theme that every time Letty cleared up he would just make a mess again.

"I feel weird being in when it's so quiet," Letty commented. They had started in her room, sorting through her belongings and picking out what she would need. It had been set up that she would stay with them in the Toretto household. It was the same arrangement as before, only now it was official.

"It's never quiet at our house, you know that."

"I know." Letty's voice hitched slightly, she had noticed the way he referred to it as their house and to be honest, she kind of liked it. It made her feel wanted, the complete opposite of everything she had been told by her father.

Hours later, they were almost finished, only Ricardo's room to go. As she opened the door, Letty was filled with emotion. The room was a tip, clothes scattered all over the floor and bottles covering almost every inch of the side. However, when Letty walked over to the bed, she noticed that a space had been cleared; a single white envelope with Letty's name scratched hurriedly on the front was waiting. She picked it up, running her fingers along the seal before ripping it open, the anticipation too much to bear.

"What's that?" Dom asked, clearing some of the bottles into a plastic bag he was carrying.

"A letter. I guess it's from my dad to me."

"What's it say?"

 _To Letty,_

 _For once I am sober and I feel like this is the perfect opportunity to say sorry. I realise now that what I've done to you is not acceptable and I hope that you can forgive me for it. I'm going to get better now so that I can come back and take care of you properly, like I should have been doing in the first place. But I get that if you want to stay with Tony and Dom you can. That boy's a keeper for sure._

 _Much love,_

 _Dad_

Letty coughed back a tear and Dom enclosed her within his arms. She let the tears fall for the missed opportunities, the lost moments. And Dom held her, not letting go.

He was right, Letty thought. Dom really was a keeper.


	4. Let Her Go

Thanks so much to Serence Calamity for betaing for me. Thank you all for your very lovely reviews, keep them coming :)

* * *

 _Staring at the ceiling in the dark_

 _Same old empty feeling in your heart_

' _Cause love comes slow_

 _And it goes so fast_

 _Let Her Go – Birdy (BBC Live Lounge 2013)_

 _Originally by Passenger_

* * *

Dom laid on his bed, arm neatly tucked away under his head as he used it as a cushion. He had retired to bed as soon as he got in, only pausing to greet his sister and nephew. He had been informed by Mia that Brian was running errands and that dinner would be ready for when he got home. As Dom headed towards the stairs, Mia began to ask where Letty was before she caught sight of his crestfallen face in the living room mirror. She was aware that Dom had taken Letty to Race Wars earlier that day but now darkness had fallen, she was worried about where she was.

"Dom?" No answer. "Dom? Where is Letty?"

"I have no idea."

"What do you mean no idea? Dom, she was no memory. What happens if she gets lost?"

"You think I don't know that?" Dom said, his agitation clear. "You think I don't know that she has no memory? I wake up every morning hoping that she's got just a little bit back. Something for me to work with. I don't even know where to begin."

"Dom, calm down."

"How can I stay calm?"

"Just breathe. She'll be fine, she's an adult. Give her a bit more credit, she probably remembers where she's going from where you've taken her out before."

Dom gave Mia a dissatisfied look and turned to walk up the stairs. He shoulders slumped and he threw himself on the bed, kicking off his shoes and closing his eyes. He was worried about Letty. He understood why she needed to leave, why she needed to take time for herself. Didn't mean he had to like it. He wanted to take care of her, wrap her up in cotton wool so she couldn't hurt herself anymore by the fact she couldn't remember.

Maybe he shouldn't have taken her to race wars. If he hadn't she would still be here. She wouldn't have got overwhelmed by the crowds and drove off. Then everything at her grave wouldn't have happened.

* * *

 _After Dom had searched around, he found himself driving to the graveyard. He hadn't thought of it at first but as the sun went in and darkness began it seemed like a more likely possibility. As he twisted down the windy roads, his lights lip up Letty's car and he let out a huge sigh of relief. He parked behind it, quietly observing Letty as she stood in front of her grave. He had often wondered what was in it, if there was anything at all. But he didn't want to ask; Mia had gone through enough have to arrange it alone in the first place, she didn't deserve the brunt of his questions._

 _He exited the car, walking towards the boot and retrieving a large hammer. He wanted to destroy what she had been made into six years ago, a stone in the ground. Something for people to look at for a few moments before leaving again, perhaps leaving flowers or maybe nothing at all. He wanted to erase the idea that she had been dead at all, just focus on getting her memory back._

 _Letty could feel Dom walking up behind her, his footsteps heavy on the ground. She carried on looking forward and waited until he was close enough to hear her before she began talking._

" _First time I saw this," she paused. "I thought it was kinda funny." Letty paused again. She thought about that time, the moment when she realised the true extent of her death. "I guess now the joke's on me."_

 _Letty turned towards Dom and saw the hammer in his grasp. She edged closer towards him. She had an idea what was going to happen but didn't want to quite believe it. So she asked him. "What are you doing?"_

" _What I should have done a long time ago."_

 _Dom raised the hammer and Letty grabbed it, using her strength to push against him. "Stop," she ordered. "Look at it," she begged. "It's the truth. That's the day that I lost my memory. That's the day that Letty died, and I was born."_

" _You never died," Dom insisted. He looked down at her, his head bowed and his hand twitching to reach out to her. But for some reason he stopped it. It was like Letty needed this, to say these things in order to become whole again._

" _Do you know hard it is for me when you look at me and you see me through fifteen years of memories. Every beautiful moment that we've ever had. I see it in your eyes; I can't give that to you. I got nothing."_

" _You got me."_

" _And you've got only a piece of me. I have to find myself. For me."_

 _Letty reached up and stroked her hand down his cheek. He subtly leaned his head into it, the move non-existent to the naked eye yet one that had happened many times before. She didn't remember but he did. Every time she would place her hand on his cheek, he would lean into it to seek her comforting warmth. Giving her the contact that would usually be given through hugs or holding hands. But they were never that kind of couple so he did that instead._

 _Letty reached up and kissed him, their lips lighting a spark as soon as they touched. Dom could feel in her passion that it was goodbye, a farewell moment before she left. He could also feel that she didn't know when she was coming back. Her own discovery a timeless adventure._

" _Goodbye, Dom."_

 _She walked away, hand coming up to push her hair away from her face and he watched her retreating form. The hammer felt heavy in his hand, his feet rooting him to his place so to stop him running after her. As she drove off, he dropped the hammer and crouched in front of the headstone. Dom stared at it intensely until his eyes narrowed in a glare. The letters were teasing him, almost mocking him for what his relationship had turned it to. Sighing he stood up and walked away, hammer still laying on the ground._

* * *

"Dom?" Mia called through the door. At his response of come in, she entered, balancing a tray of food on one hand and a beer in the other. "I brought you dinner."

Seeing Mia struggling, Dom jumped up from his bed and took the tray out her hand. Thanking her he sat on the edge of the bed and patted the empty space next to him and welcomed her to sit with him. He took the beer out of her hands and took a sip, the liquid obviously chilled as it slipped down his throat. They sat in silence as Dom ate his dinner, Mia sitting still beside him. Once Dom had finished, he laid his knife and fork across his plate.

"I got a text from Letty earlier," Mia started. "Just to say she was okay."

"It's nice she gave me the same message," Dom replied sarcastically. He was upset that Letty had told Mia and not him. They were meant to be partners.

"Don't be like that. You know exactly why she didn't."

"What do I do wrong? I thought I was giving her everything. I gave her time, space, assurance."

"There's nothing you can do unless you can give her her memory back. Imagine you're in her shoes, she's thrown into this life where she has no idea of what her past was like. She gets taken in by these mad people who go around destroying cities and then finds out that there is a family out there who thought she was dead."

"I get that but..."

"No you don't get it, Dom. You think that now she's back everything is solved. But it's not. She has to figure out who she is. What sort of person she is around you and for a hundred other people."

"What makes you think that you're right? That you're not just making it up on the spot."

Mia sighed. "We talked about it a while ago." As Dom looked to interrupt, Mia shut him down with a glare. "You remember how when we were little we would sneak off to have private conversations because we didn't want to talk about things in front of you? Or when we were talking about you and your relationship? That's exactly the same thing here. She can't talk to you about everything so she speaks about it with me. You're not the only person in her life."

"I know, I'm sorry," Dom apologised. "It's just difficult to remember that sometimes, especially after so many years alone together.

* * *

" _Do you ever miss everyone?" Letty asked, her head placed on Dom's chest as their naked bodies rested together._

" _You mean the team?"_

" _Yeah. We've been on our own for so long now, no one else. It's so different to how it was before."_

 _It was true. They had spent the last two and a half years travelling round South America, going city to city, country to country. Together they would ride in, tear apart the racing scene and leave again. Sometimes they would drive for days, too wrapped up within each other to notice the things going on around them, the world passing by them until they slowed down enough to notice it._

" _I miss them, it's weird waking up in the morning naturally as opposed to being woken up by the boys fighting. I hate knowing that Mia is there on her own though. I wish Leon could have stayed with her."_

" _He had to move on, he couldn't live there knowing Jesse died on the grass. It wouldn't be right to expect him to. Maybe it's time I start driving up and seeing her," Letty suggested. Her and Dom had breached the topic and decided that they should lay low for a while. But that was a long time ago and Mia had been by herself when she didn't need to be."_

" _I know it's for Mia but I really don't want you to go," Dom admitted, beginning a sensual line of kisses down Letty's neck._

" _I don't want to leave you but we got Mia into this mess; she never wanted to be a part of it and we made her. The least we can do is make sure that she's happy."_

 _Dom sighed. It wasn't fair on Mia to have to bear the consequences of their actions. She had begged them for weeks to stop, she had even gone as far as to stop cooking for them and buying them beer. But they were tempted by the thrill, the adrenaline rush, and of course, the money did nothing to stop them._

" _Can we finish up the week first?" Dom asked. It was only Tuesday so it would give them a couple more days together._

" _Yeah, that sounds good. I'll start driving up on Sunday. It shouldn't take me too long."_

" _I have a better idea. Why don't we leave tomorrow, drive up to Mexico and then you can go on from there? That way it will take you less time but I'll still get to spend the week with you. We have your Tia's house there and I can stay there while you see Mia. Then once you're done, you can drive down to me and we'll come from there."_

" _I like that idea."_

* * *

Mia reached over to Dom and rubbed his head, kissing its crown before picking up the tray and empty beer bottle. She left the room and he fell back onto the bed, resuming te same position as earlier. He shut his eyes and allowed himself to relax. The last few weeks had been hectic, his body needing time to regain energy. And then of course there was Letty.

A loud shrill filled the room and Dom looked down at his phone. Speak of the devil.

"Hey," he greeted, trying to keep his voice as causal as possible. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Not bad...considering."

"Look, Dom. Mia told me that you were feeling a bit down and that's the only reason I've rung you. I need to get myself together and I can't do that around you."

"I know but it's hard for me to let you go, after everything. I've watched you walk away so many times but today just seemed so final."

"Trust me, Dom. As long as I have everything in control today will never be final. I will come back to you, when I don't know, but you just have to be sure that it's going to happen."

"I am. I trust you."

"I have to go, I'll speak to you when I get back."

"Okay, take care of yourself."

"You too, tell the others that I miss them."

"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Dom asked, the spite evident in his voice.

"Dom, please," Letty begged. "I'll see you when I come back. Goodbye."

Letty disconnected the call and Dom sighed. Trust him to fuck things up. Now it felt like things were over forever and all he could be was angry at himself. He had worked for years to earn her love, her trust, her heart. And now it felt like it was gone, gone far too fast.


	5. I'm On Fire

Thank you for Serene Calamity for betaing for me. I didn't get round to replies last time but thank you very much for all your reviews :)

* * *

 _At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet_

 _And a freight train running through the middle of my head_

 _Only you can cool my desire_

 _Oh-oh-oh, I'm on fire_

 _I'm On Fire - AWOLNATION_

* * *

 _The corridor was dark, the only light a ray coming from between the bars on the window, the shadow projected onto the floor and up the wall. The sun was beginning to rise and as it did so, it would signify the start of another dreaded day. The building was quiet, the only noise coming from the occasional tapping of a keyboard in the office that was down the hall. Every now and then you could hear voices that were carried through the ceiling, normally a quick confirmation or update but it was a welcome change from the usual silence that seemed to haunt the corridors and its occupants._

 _In each room, two people slept; one on the top bunk, one on the bottom. On the wall there was a bookcase, filled with old novels that had been drawn in until the words were no longer readable. They didn't bother to replace them. On the top bunk, the man shifted himself into a more comfortable position. The mattresses were basic and incredibly uncomfortable, as if they been designed specifically to offer as much pain and discomfort as possible._

 _He moved again, the bed creaking and his legs stretching until his feet hung over the edge. The only positive was the pillow, the material surprising soft against his bald head. He had been informed when he had first entered that he was one of the 'lucky' ones. How he could be considered lucky he did not know but he would go with it. When questioning it later, he had found out that were rumours of a drug ring in his ward. Traces of cocaine had been found embedded into several pillows and as a result they had been removed and replaced with newer models. Apparently this made him lucky because he got softer pillows._

 _Underneath him, his roommate? Bunkmate? Associate? opened his eyes and stared up through the bunk to the man above. He was on his back, blonde hair flat against his forehead, shoulders broad and muscles clearly on show. He hadn't entered that way, like most of the other men, instead the lack of entertainment and constant threat had led him to bulk up, the top bunk providing a pole for pull ups. Push ups could be used to build muscle at any point and the time outside allowed the improvement of stamina and offered general exercise. Other exercises such as sit ups and crunches were also popular favourites._

 _The sun had begun a quick ascent and now light was pouring into the room. The peaceful and sombre atmosphere was broken into the loud sounds of movement, people rolling out of bed and waiting for the doors to open. In the room, the two occupants didn't speak, keeping to their own bunks. On the top bunk, the man pulled a photo off the wall and rubbed his thumb over it. It was him and his girl, her brown hair tumbling over her shoulders and onto his arm. He remembered the day it was taken, the strands tickling his arms. Her hair was shorter, too much hassle she had told him._

 _Keys jangled and bodies moved into the courtyard. Some gathered at the benches, a morning gathering started with fist bumps and bro hugs. Others started their morning run, heading around the court, lap after lap. As their time came to a close, the guards began to move the men inside. Moving into the canteen, they sat in their groups, the guards brought a group of men up to the kitchen at once. Grabbing their breakfast, they sat back down, the room filled with conversation._

 _Once breakfast was over, they were led back to their rooms. They followed their usual routines, one taking the floor for sit ups and push ups while the other used the top bunk for pull ups. After ninety minutes intense workout, both men shook out their muscles and relaxed. The blonde man knocked on the wall, wrapping his knuckles against the cold surface. In a sudden movement, the door was opened and six more men surged in. A guard lay unconscious on the room, overpowered and outnumbered._

" _We seem to be having a few little problems," one of the intruders said to the bald man._

" _I'm not getting mixed up in your shit. I'm here to do my time and get out. Just because you're in here for life doesn't mean I want to be."_

 _The men bolted towards the bald man, grabbing his arms and pushing him face first into the floor. With no idea how they came to possess it, a bucket of ice cold water was placed in front of the bald man's face. His muscles were tensing, his brain processing whether he would be able to overpower them. Deciding there were too many of them and not enough strength left after his intense workout, he lay still. They heaved his shoulders up and pushed his head into the bucket, hands on the back of his scalp, forcing his face into the water. He spluttered, chokes filling the room as they laughed at his expense._

* * *

Dom bolted up in his bed with a start. The sheets were stuck to his legs, the sweat acting like a glue as he rubbed his hands over his face. His head was pounding, the nightmare still a reoccurring event, taking his straight back to Lompoc. It had been months since he had returned home, slowly re-entering the lifestyle he had left behind. He was back to being king of the streets, the local whizz kid who once had the opportunity of making it big. Now his gift was left to the streets, his actions leaving major repercussions on his life.

Once he had come home many people had assumed it was business as usual. He was the first out of the team and racing circle to serve time in one of the big prisons. Almost all the racers had done time in juvie, illegal parts or possession. Everyone assumed they were the same thing – juvie and Lompoc – they didn't understand there was a big difference. The people, the guards, the limitations. His time inside made him appreciate the act of going outside, going for a drive, even moving from one room to the next. It had taken losing it all to realise exactly what he had in the first place.

And then there was Letty. She had been a child when he went inside. She was slowly making her way into mechanics. She knew everything there was to know and now all she needed was a bit of practice and real-life experience. He had been glad to know when he came out that she was now one of the best in the garage. It wouldn't have survived without her. The old staff had either left after Tony's death, not wanting to carry on after the loss of such a big character or those that stayed were soon gone after Dom's imprisonment, not wanting to be associated with him.

Vince and Letty had held the fort. From what he had heard, Vince had thrown Letty in the deep end, allowing her to trust her instincts and work through it. It had worked wonderfully, Letty becoming a natural under the hood and soon they had employed Leon and Jesse. Mia was in charge of the books and managing the house while the guys and Letty brought in the money. Street racing had become a quick and efficient way to keep up with bills and while Mia didn't completely agree with it, even she couldn't deny that without it they would most likely be homeless.

Dom pulled the covers away from him and threw them onto the bed. He quietly made his way out of his room and down the hall, gently knocking on Letty's door and poking his head inside.

"Letty?" He called out, watching the body sprawled out across the bed for signs of movement. "Letty."

Dom made his way inside and closed the door behind him, going over to Letty's bed and perching on the edge. Feeling the weight on her bed, Letty stirred, sitting up and looking tiredly at Dom as he waited for her to get her bearings.

"Are you okay?" Letty asked, concerned as she reached out to grasp his hand.

"Better now I'm with you."

Dom wasn't really sure what he meant by that. Since he had come home, they had been flirting, their relationship slowly transitioning from friendship into something more. They had kissed several times, the influence of alcohol and pure desire too much to resist. Once they had ended up in bed together, their bodies slick against each other. In the morning they had carried on as normal, not quite sure where to go from that point and neither ready to have a deep conversation about it.

"Do you," Letty began to question before pausing. She rubbed his hand and looked up to face him. "Do you want to get in?" She finally asked, pulling back the edge of the quilt and moving over.

Dom moved into the bed and rested his head on the pillow. Letty lay next to him in silence, knowing that pressurising him would only do harm. His hand sought out hers and he threaded his fingers through hers, Dom squeezing tightly as if he didn't believe it was really happening. Dom brought their hands to his mouth, lightly kissing Letty's hand, his lips rough against her soft hand. Next to him Letty smiled. They lived their lives so fast and recklessly, these moments a stark contrast yet a welcome one. It was their calm before the next day's storm of work and interaction.

"I, erm, I had a nightmare." Dom silently cursed himself. Nightmare, he sounded like a three year old crying to his mother.

"Lompoc?" Letty questioned.

"How did you guess?" Dom cracked a smile.

"I didn't know what else it could be about," she admitted. "And sometimes when I've stayed up I've walked past your door and I can hear you talking in your sleep about it."

Dom's heart dropped slightly and his hand began to move against Letty's. She noticed his change in behaviour and rolled over until she was tucked beside him. Her body was warm and she snaked a leg between his.

"You don't have to be ashamed," Letty told him. "You went through a tough time in there."

"Doesn't feel that way."

"So what do you feel?"

"Like I should be coming back and being the man of the house. Like I should have everything under control and should be sending Mia to school and making sure that the finances are good. It just feels like everything's a failure."

"It isn't," Letty insisted. "And just because you have bad dreams doesn't make you any less than anyone else."

Dom nodded and let the room fall into silence for a moment. "This is the third time I've had this one."

"Really bad?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I remember it so well that sometimes when I'm in the garage all I have to do is think about it and I can see it vividly in front of me."

"What happened?"

"When I first went in they made it quite clear that if you were a lone wolf you would be punished. Some of the groups in there were bigger than anything out here. They used to go around in packs, waiting for anyone to show weakness and call them up on it. The solicitor warned me before I went in that associating myself with anyone like that would immediately go against me in any parole hearing. So I went in with the intention of serving my time and coming out as soon as possible." Dom laughed dryly. "It doesn't quite work like that though.

"I was in my cell and a group came in. They were the top dogs, everyone aimed to please them otherwise you'd find yourself with a brand new scar or burn. The guards were overpowered, one was even knocked out. They pinned me down and tried to drown me. All I could think about was my dad, being so disappointed in me."

"He's never be disappointed. He was always so proud of you."

"Then I kept thinking of Mia and how she'd cope with her brother going away and never coming back." Letty pushed herself tighter into Dom, her eyes squeezed closed as she tried to block out the images. "They stopped once the guard woke up and called for backup. They put me in a different wing and I served the rest there."

"That's why when we visited you'd moved. You told us it was because you had been put in less security for good behaviour. You lied."

"I know but imagine if I had told you that. Imagine Mia," Dom argued.

"I guess. Go to sleep, we'll talk about it in the morning."

Dom pulled Letty until she was almost on top of him and buried his face in her hair. She was able to calm him down and he knew that there was something more there. It would be something for them to talk about soon, they couldn't delay it any longer.

"Don't worry. I've got you."


End file.
